Newspaper Page Text
PAGE 4 THE SOUTHERN ISRAELITE October 10,1986
The Southern Israelite
The Weekly Newspaper Fof Southern Je\rrv
Since 1925'
Vida Goldgar
Editor
Jeff Rubin
General Manager
Luna Levy
Managing Editor
Published by Sun Publications, Inc.
also publishers of The Kansas City Jewish Chronicle
Stan Rose
Chairman and
Publisher
Steve Rose
President and
Co-Publisher
Second Class Postage paid at Atlanta, Ga (ISSN 00388) (UPS 776060)
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Southern Israelite, P O Box
77388, Atlanta, GA 30357
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 77388, Atlanta, Georgia 30357
Location: 188 15th St., N.W., Atl., Ga. 30318 Phone (404)876-8248
Advertising rates available upon request.
Subscriptions: $23.00, 1 year; $41.00, 2 years
Member of Jewish Telegraphic Agency; Religious News Service;
American Jewish Press Assn.; Georgia Press Assn.; National Newspaper Assn.
Will this be the year?
We hope so.
Vida Goldgar
Controlled chaos
We’re still hoping
Now that the year 5747 has begun, with the fresh slate that lies
before us, let’s step back in time to another new year—the year
5692—55 years ago. What were the hopes for the coming year?
The holiday issue of The Southern Israelite in 1931 editorial
ized on those hopes.
“We hope to see all the Jewish elements united for the
advancement of Israel’s mission...
“We hope to witness a manifestation of thought and act which
shall prove beyond scruple an era of lasting peace. Let there be
accord in our daily lives; let the spirit of brotherhood flower
among men of all ranks, nations, colors and creeds. Let us strive to
hasten that ultimate goal when anti-Semitism shall rear its hydra
head no more...
“ We hope for unbounded progress in the great Palestine cause;
for the cementing of an indestructible amity between Jew and
Arab which will never permit a repetition of the awful massacres
of 5689...
“ We hope that the Jews who have returned to the soil in Russia
will prosper there, favored by rich harvests and happy lives...that
the Soviet Government will conduct its laws to allow full religious
liberty for its citizens...
“We hope for a greater enrollment and a wider spread of
knowledge through Jewish and religious education...let us have
finer coordination among the representatives of Orthodox, Con
servative and Reform Judaism...
“ We hope that a new high standard may be established in the
work of social welfare and philanthropy...
“ We hope for peace and happiness; for progress and gain for
each and every one, Jew and non-Jew...”
Now, in 5747, we are still hoping for the same things; dreaming
the same dreams.
Some of you have told us that you haven’t yet read
your way through our special Rosh Hashana issue,
and here we are again.
All the comments and compli
ments we’ve heard on what was our
largest Rosh Hashana issue ever
are really appreciated. Especially
since, by the time it finally got to
the printer, there was a whole crew
of totally exhausted people around
here. With a couple of 16- and 17-
hour work days laid on top of a
working Sunday, you can get pretty
doggone tired. Enough so that a couple of deeply
regretted errors slipped through and a few ol our loyal
and valued advertisers were dismayed to find their
scheduled ads missing. But they are running this week,
and we apologize.
I knew that last week’s issue would be a biggie;
what I didn’t know much in advance was just how big
it would be. But our new co-publisher, Steve Rose,
and our new general manager, Jeff Rubin, who d been
on the scene only a couple of weeks, quickly aug
mented and galvanized our sales staff to the point
where we were adding four more pages about every
day till the count w’as 80 pages.
Then the “fun” began. Our usual production staff
can turn out maybe 40 pages without too much trou
ble. For 60 pages or so, we pull in a freelancer or
two. But with 80 pages, it’s a different story. And with
Murphy’s Law in full effect, our regula-r advertising
paste-up staffer was in Europe. Normally, nobody
takes a vacation before a big holiday, but this was a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and permission had
been granted eight months earlier. Besides, eight
months ago, we’d never have imagined an 80-page
paper and we had a good, reliable, experienced
replacement lined up. For reasons I won’t go into, that
fell through.
So here we were last week, putting out frantic calls
to fill the gap—or, rather, gaps. For a time there. I’d
run into a stranger in the hall and say, “May I help you
or do you work here?”
Our editorial department was not without its sur
prises. Two of our staffers became ill and we “loaned”
one to production. As you know, 1 never squeezed in
the time to write my column. It seemed that we just
kept feeding copy endlessly back to the typesetter, but
advance planning paid off there.
All this motion played out against a background
of the quiet click, click, click of our brand new compu
ter as our bookkeeper kept at the seemingly endless
task of inputting our financial records. Yes, friends,
The Southern Israelite has entered the computer age,
and before too long, even 1 will take a reluctant stab at
it.
But enough about that. It’s over and I’m sure you’ll
agree it was worth it.
Next week’s challenge may be even greater. It will
certainly be different.
That’s because we will be moving to our spanking
new offices in Atlanta Technology Center on North-
side Drive near 1-75.
The prospect of any move can be devastating. But
trying to move and put out a paper in a week already
shortened by Monday’s observance of Yom Kippur
promises to be a real experience.
It will be a tight squeeze. Even as we typeset the
last lines on Thursday, the movers will be breathing
down our necks to dismantle the equipment. There’ll
be no last minute changes at that point. Between now
and then, we’re all trying to assess what we will need
up till the last minute; what we can pack ahead and
what we can pitch.
Those of you who have visited me here, know that
I’m hardest hit in trying to make some sense out of the
rat’s nest 1 call an office. 1 operate under the mantle of
“1 can’t throw that out, 1 might need it some day.” I’ve
promised myself I’ll get organized in the new place,
especially since my office has a full glass wall facing
the outside world. It won’t be easy but...
Though we are still trying to sort out the logistics
of this whole thing, it will happen. And it is exciting!
Then we can say, “Y’all come see us, ya heah."
A New Year’s prayer
by Rabbi Alvin M. Sugarman
Spiritual leader ol The Temple
O Lord as we walk through the
gates of the New Year may it be our
will to come to a better under
standing of you and your world.
May we come to realize that we
are partners in creation.
May we ever do our part know
ing that you are w’ith us with every
breath we take.
May we come to understand
that the very structure of our world
reflects your omnipresence.
May we learn better to appre-
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date the old, as we are challenged
by the new.
May it be our will, O Lord, that
the threat of nuclear destruction
dissipate so there may yet be a
hope for future life here on this
earth you have given us.
May we do our share in provid
ing for the homeless among us. and
in reaching out to the poor wher
ever they are lound on the face of
this earth.
May the anguished voice of the
black South African be linked to
the voice of the white South Afri
can in establishing a society of
justice.
May we so live our lives, O Lord,
that the memory of our Holocaust
victims remain as sacred as sacred
can be. and that the living of our
lives serves as a perpetual memor
ial to them Irom generation to
generation.
As we begin this New Year, O
God. ma\ we link our hands and
hearts to our brothers and sisters in
Israel lending our strength to their
quest for the broken sword and the
plowshare of peace.
And finally, O God, within the
confines of our own personal and
family existence may we find the
pathways to better understanding
of ourselves and loved ones:
Of love between husband and
wife made ever more tender with
the passing of another year...
Of respect between child and
parent earned within the frame
work of freedom for each to be...
Finally, O Lord, as we walk
through the gates of the New Year,
through the beautiful and solemn
moments of our High Holy Days
to come to the beauty of the Sukka.
may it be our will, O Lord, that this
New Year of life be for us as the
Sukka.
May w'e adorn our life like the
Sukka, with beauty, with fragrance,
with sweetness, and make of our
life a shelter to all who come into
our midst. Amen
About our cover
Atlanta artist Sol Beton captures the underlying spirit of unity
° 1 e P e °pie in his carbon pencil line drawing entitled " W e
r< ^ >n He says, This represents all the Jewish people and
v ows that, regardless of background, affiliation, country of resi-
init or othi r differences, we are all brothers and sisters.
M ^ u> designed the stained glass windows for the Or
e • 7 °a* ^ unaRORUe an d the Atlanta Jewish Community Cen-
a an building, has a bachelor of fine arts degree from the
ua C allege of Art. His portraits and other paintings are in a
mm,her of private collections.